


Written In The stars

by DreaRyoku



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Falling In Love, Hulkeye - Freeform, M/M, Past Abuse, group showering
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-08 08:51:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13454751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreaRyoku/pseuds/DreaRyoku
Summary: Bruce sat alone at the island in the kitchen, eating his breakfast, if you can really call eating food at one in the afternoon breakfast. He unfolds the paper and reads his horoscope for Sagittarius, it says: 'Love is written for you in the stars Sagittarius. You will find love in an unexpected place today. This may seem strange, but just go with it Sagittarius, this may be your true love.'





	1. Who knew the stars were as tortured as us

Bruce sat alone at the island in the kitchen, eating his breakfast, if you can really call eating food at one in the afternoon breakfast. He unfolds the paper and reads his horoscope for Sagittarius, it says: 'Love is written for you in the stars Sagittarius. You will find love in an unexpected place today. This may seem strange, but just go with it Sagittarius, this may be your true love.' Bruce scoffs at how unlikely it is he will ever find love. Bruce takes the last bite of toast between his teeth and gulps down the remainder of his orange juice and goes on about the rest of his day. An hour of meditation and yoga to focus his mind, and a quick shower before Tony finds him and steals away for the day to work in his lab. Tony and Bruce had been hard at work redesigning Jarvis' security protocols and upping the mainframe with some rather nasty virus programs that would activate if a hacker tried to get in, taking all their information and wiping out their network before alerting the authorities to their whereabouts. Bruce had just finished the last line of the defense program and glanced at his watch. Six hours. Six hours he had been tinkering around in the lab, helping Tony get the program just right. He stood to leave as he finished up.

"Leaving so soon Doc?", Tony glanced up at him from behind the arm of the newest Ironman suit he was working on.

"Bruce takes his glasses off and rubs the bridge of his nose before placing them back on, "We've been down here for six hours Tony. I'm done for tonight. You should at least take a break, maybe see if you can find Steve to hang out with for awhile." Bruce turns to leave but stops, turning back to tony and adding, "There's still so much you haven't taught him yet. Much more I'm sure you could traumatize him with. Has he seen the movie 'Dahmer' yet?"

Tony goes slack jawed for a moment before a wicked grin tugs at the corners of his mouth, "You... you are an evil genius. Truly diabolical Banner." He puts away his tools and leaves to find Steve.

Bruce is sore from sitting for so long, he stretches and rubs his neck, trying to decide what to do next. He opts to get some fresh air and heads to the roof to be alone. He is startled to see Barton up there already, laying on the asphalt gazing at the stars. Bruce feels his heart quicken at the site of the archer, his curiosity peaked.

"Clint?" Bruce's voice is a soft, sweet song that shakes Clint out of the cosmic spell the stars hold over him. His name sounds foreign to himself, Bruce is the only man who bothers to use it anymore, and the archer doesn't even flinch to so much as look to who's calling his name.

Clint inhales the crisp air, padding the space next to him as he speaks, "Hey Freckles. Come join me."

Anyone else but Clint referring to him as Freckles, would cause Bruce to become overly annoyed. Somehow though, it just seemed... right, oddly comforting in a way that Bruce had never expected. Tony had called him that before, mockingly in an attempt to ruffle him. When Clint said it, there was no malice behind it, no intent on trying to stir the beast within him. It was just simply an observation, and if Bruce wasn't mistaken, he thought he heard a tone something a kin to fondness, whenever the younger man spoke it. 

Bruce allowed himself a quick,fleeting smile, before sinking down in the spot beside his friend, acquaintance really. Bruce felt he hadn't yet spent enough time with Clint, gotten to know the man on less of a superficial level. "So, what brings you out here tonight?"

Clint pulled two arrows from his quiver beside him and handed them to Bruce, "Just testing a few of my new arrows. I designed a sonic shock arrow, and improved my grappling arrow for increased range and made it reusable."

Bruce looked them both over and marveled at the sophisticated design, "You... you made these?" Bruce's voice sounded more shocked then he had meant it to be.

Clint shrugged, "Yeah, no big deal. Look I may not be a genius like you or Stark, but I got a brain too ya know."

Bruce sat up, throwing his hands up in defense and looking down at his team-mate, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

Clint sits up and cuts him off, "So kay, I was just messing with you a bit there Doc. You... well the other you, Hulk, he's the only one who doesn't view me as inadequate. I'm used to it."

"I don't think you're inadequate. I think you're a very smart man, and perhaps the bravest of us. You'd have to be to do what you do everyday. I hold you in high regard Clint." 

Clint sat up to look Bruce right in the eyes. He was sincere and that made Clint a little uneasy, unsure of how to respond, not use to people   
actually believing in him and praising him. "Uh, thanks. So, um, yeah, I tested a few of my arrows and thought I'd spend some time looking at the stars. My older brother and I used to do that when we were little."

Bruce found himself becoming interested in the other man again. Clint had never talked about his childhood, much less even mention he had a brother, but Bruce was a man who valued privacy, so he didn't press him for more info. Instead, he clears his throat and asks him when his birthday is.

Clint is slightly reluctant to answers, but is curious to know why Bruce asked and figured if he really wanted to know, he could simply look it up in the files anyway, "January 7th." Clint responds as he looks off into the skyline.

"Capricorn." Bruce responds to clint's answer.

Clint looks confused, "I'm sorry, what?"

Bruce blushes slightly, his right hand reaching up to self consciously scratch his cheek. "Capricorn, the sea-goat, it's your astrological sign." 

"Sea-goat? Is that even a thing? Isn't it just a regular old goat?"

"Yes and no," 

See those group of stars over there, just above the left corner of that billboard? The ones that almost look like they form a triangle? That's your birth sign, Capricorn." Bruce pointed int general direction of the stars and Clint nodded. 

Bruce replies and begins to tell Clint the story behind the constellation, "In Greek mythology, Chronos, the god of time, created the first sea-goat, Pricus and shared his ability to manipulate time with him. Pricus was the father of the ancient race of the immortal sea-goats, they were intelligent and could think and speak. He had many children, but his children were drawn away from the safety of the seas to the shores of man. They'd use their front legs to pull themselves up onto shore, but the longer they stayed on land, the more they evolved into the goats we know today. They lost their fish tails and grew hind legs, and lost their ability to think and speak, and would lose their immortality. Pricus weeps for the lost of his children and uses his power to shift back in time in attempt to stop his children from becoming mindless creatures. However, no matter how many times he goes back and pleads with them to stay away from the shore, his children are always doomed to be lured in by it. Eventually, Pricus resigns himself to his loneliness, no longer trying to reverse time in an attempt to stop his children, instead choosing to let his children live their own lives and achieve their own destiny. Pricus is consumed by despair and begs Chronos to let him die, as he can no longer bear to be the only sea-goat left. Chronos takes pity on the sea-goat and instead places him up in the night sky as a constellation, so that he can live out his immortality in the sky, as what we now refer to as Capricorn, keeping watch over his children from near and far."

"I never knew the stories behind them. Heck, Barn and I could never even figure out how to find the constellations. So what's yours?"

Bruce figured Barn must be Clint's brother, he stored that information and responded, pointing just to the other side of Capricorn, "Mine's Sagittarius, the archer." Bruce laughed a little, "I know, would've made more sense if you were the archer and I was the old goat. See those group of stars over there that resemble a tea pot? That's actually the archer. Sagittarius represents the immortal centaur Chiron. Most of the centaurs were regarded in myth as bestial, they were, after all, half horse. However, the ancient Greeks had a great deal of respect for the horse, and so were reluctant to make the centaurs entirely bad. In fact, Chiron was renowned for his gentleness. He was an excellent archer, musician, and physician, and tutored the likes of Achilles, Jason, and Hercules. Chiron, however, was accidentally shot and wounded by Hercules. The arrow, which had been dipped in the poison of the Lernaean Hydra, inflicted great suffering on Chiron, so great, in fact, that even the talented doctor could not cure himself. In agony, but as an immortal unable to find release in death, Chiron instead offered himself as a substitute for Prometheus. The gods had punished Prometheus for giving fire to man by chaining him to a rock. Each day an eagle would devour his liver, and each night it would grow back. Zeus, however, had at the request of Hercules agreed to release Prometheus if a suitable substitute could be found. Chiron gave up his immortality and went to Tartarus in place of Prometheus; in recognition of this act, Zeus placed him in the stars."

Clint smiled, "Chiron kinda sounds a lot like you Doc." and then Clint's smile turned to a deep frown, "My brother Barney would've loved to hear these stories. Who knew the stars were as tortured as us. Ya wanna know the real reason why we spent so many nights starring up at the stars." Clint didn't let Bruce respond, it was more of a statement than a question, "We'd go out and hide in the woods behind our house, trying to get away from our father and nurse our wounds." 

Clint took a deep breathe, the icy September air piercing his lungs as he continued. All the while Bruce sat in awe waiting, like it was the best damn thing he'd ever hear, "Guess he thought whatever he was chasing at the bottom of a bottle was more important than us. But Barn would try his best to protect me from it. First chance he saw, he'd grab me and we'd run and hide in those woods, just starring at those stars. Wondering if somewhere, sometime things would get better, and come morning, they always did. Dad had passed out and turned into a freakin' saint, buttering momma up and trying to buy our love back with stupid shit like toys or candy."

"I'm sorry," Clint apologized, "You don't wanna hear this shit. Just... just forget it. I don't want things getting weird between us now. Don't want you seeing me as some lost little boy. I, I can't have that. I can't have you, and 'him' thinking of me like that."

Bruce grabbed Clint's hand, before the archer could stand up to run away, "I wasn't always like this you know. Him and I, we- he, he didn't use to exist. Everyone just assumes I created him, that I'm his 'father'. But the truth is, he's my 'brother', he was born out of an experiment my father performed on me as a child. My father feared me and tried to kill me, to kill us. And my mother-" Bruce blinked back the tears and tried to keep his voice from wavering, "My mother gave her life to protect me from him."

Bruce's hand is still gripping Clint's, and Clint squeezes firmly, letting Bruce know, he is there for him. Clint feels a spark between them. Maybe it's love. Maybe it's just shared anguish. But Clint definitely feels a bond between himself and the scientist. He leans over, grasping Bruce's jaw and pulling him in for a sweet, lingering kiss that makes Bruce's head spin. 

Bruce hasn't allowed himself to love in such a long time, he panics and springs to his feet, "I, uh- I should go, it's getting late." And before Clint can even protest or apologize, he's already gone and racing towards his bedroom. His heart pounding. The Hulk on the verge of taking over. He can hear Hulk's amused voice, 'Cupid likes you. I like Cupid. Puny Banner should be with Cupid, then Hulk can be with Cupid too.'

Bruce reaches his room, just in time to retreat into his mid and appear before Hulk, "No. No. No. You're wrong. He- he doesn't like me like that. That was- I don't know what that was, but you're wrong. And even if you weren't, it doesn't work like that. You can't just force yourself into a relationship with him. He has to have a right to choose who he wants to be with."

Hulk snarls his disapproval at Banner's words.

"Fine. Fine. In the off chance you're right, and he does like me, and we were to become closer... if he wants to be with you too, I'd share him. But only with you. And only if he consents. I know people see you as a monster, but you're far from it, and certainly not that kinda of monster."

Hulk nods in agreement and goes to sleep, leaving Banner to lay in bed, replaying his roof-top rendezvous with Clint, until he finally drifts off to sleep.


	2. "Stupid Banner. Cupid wants you."

A mere four hours after Banner's mind quieted enough for him to find sleep, he was awoken by an alarm blaring outside his room. A shrill voice crackled over the speakers, Bruce could only make out bits and pieces over the alarm. He heard enough to piece together that Justin Hammer was at it again. He had built a crazed robot army and was storming through the city, presumably in an attempt to get Stark's attention. One bot had taken a small child as hostage and Hammer was demanding Stark to hand over his company in exchange for the girl's life. That made Bruce's blood boil as he frantically removed his clothes and pulled on his Hulk pants. He could feel Hulks rage. It was one thing to piss the big guy off by threatening an adult. It was an entirely other thing to do so to a weak and helpless child. 

Bruce had changed just in time, the Hulk appeared, roaring and slamming his fist down in rage. The dresser shattering to a pile of splinters. He would owe Tony yet another dresser. 

Hulk sprang into action and took out the bot holding the terrified child. He was careful not to harm her, as he crunched the metal between his massive hands. The girl sank to the ground as the machine collapsed next to her. She backed away from the green giant. Hulk huffed out quick breaths, coming down from the fight, crouching down to extend a hand to the girl.

The girl was terrified, Hulk tried his best to calm her, "Hulk friend. Friends don't hurt friends."

The girl let Hulk's words sink in a bit before responding, taking his hand to stand up as she did, she smiled, "Can you take me home? I miss my mommy."

Hulk nodded and scooped the child up, leaping through the air as she gave him directions to her house. Her mother came running out as she heard the loud rumble of Hulk's feet touching down outside. She ran to her daughter, "Oh Maya, baby, mommy was so worried. Are you okay?"

Maya nodded, "Yeah mom, I'm fine." She pointed at Hulk, "He saved me. He's my friend. He looks big and scary, but he's really nice. He beat up the bad guy and brought me back home."

Hulk felt glad, the little girl's words made him feel proud (as Bruce had later explained it to him). Maya's mother thanked him and he went back to work, smashing the remaining robots with the Avengers. 

By the time he was done and had made his way back to the tower, he was too tired to move much. The change from the Hulk back to himself, had taken a lot out of Bruce. The scientist decided to use the communal shower room on the ground floor. Tony had put in the shower room right next to the training room, long before he had planned for everyone to have their own suits, including full baths, living rooms and kitchens. So now, the expansive shower room was virtually left alone, which was fine by Bruce, he liked the openness of it and the solitude it provided.

Bruce turned the water on, letting it cascade down his shoulders, running down his hairy muscular chest, following a thin trail of hair down to his thighs, leaving a pool of water at his feet. He reached for the soap and scrubbed his face and shoulders, then attempted to reach his back, but found it a little difficult to reach.

"Hey Freckles, let me help you with that." Bruce hears a deep intoxicating voice say, as he feels strong soapy fingers wash his back. He flinches a little at the contact of someone touching him, it's Barton of course, he knows that voice, and given the man's weapon of choice, it only makes sense that his fingers would feel so strong, so amazingly good as they slipped up and down his spine, rubbing small circles.

Clint stops and holds the bar of soap out to Bruce, "Now do me." He says. A hint of seduction in his voice as his eyes dance wild with mischief.

Bruce's heart quickened as his imagination went wild with dreams of "doing" Clint. The blonde on under him, and thrusting deep into- 'No. No. Stop this. Calm down Bruce. That is so not what Clint meant. He simply just wants a hand washing his back. Yeah that's right, just two guys casually helping each other in the shower. No need to get all weird about it.' Bruce talked himself down until he could feel his heart begin to slow back to normal pace. He could hear Hulk roaring with laughter, "Stupid Banner. Cupid wants you." Bruce tried to ignore his other half as he took the soap from Clint. But Hulk was relentless.

"He wants you. Didn't you see his eyes when he spoke to you, or hear it in his voice?"

Bruce ignored him again, this time barely skimming the bar over the archer's skin, soaping him up.

"Use your hand. I bet he won't even flinch if you touch him."

"Shut up!" 

Clint turned around to look into Bruce's eyes, "I'm sorry, what?"

An adorable bluch crept over Bruce's face and trailed down to his neck, embarrassment from realizing he had spoken that out loud and not just to Hulk, and the all too starling realization of just how close a very hot and very naked Clint was standing next to him and his own nakedness.

"I...I'm sorry. That wasn't meant for you."

Clint nodded his understanding, "So what's Jade Jaws saying?"

"He uh...he's just being really immature about this." Hulk pouted and said 'Am not.' Bruce ignored him again.

"I can leave if you want." Clint said, looking at Bruce with earnest.

Bruce sighed, "No, you don't have to leave." He put the bar down and decided to test Hulk's theory. Turning Clint around,hands gently massaging the soap into Clint's back, Bruce traced the outlines of every scar upon Clint's strong muscular back, lingering just a little too long at one particular scar that ran just under his third rib and down and around to stop short before his tail bone. 

Clint was aware of what Bruce was doing and shrugged, "Why do you seem so surprised? I don't have any powers or fancy armor. Just par for the course."

This time it was Bruce who nodded in understanding, "So what's the story behind this scar?" Bruce asked curiously, his hand still upon the scar that ran across a rather large expanse of his back. As soon as he asked, he knew he shouldn't have. He could feel the muscles in Clint's back tighten. "I'm sorry, you don't have to-"

Clint slumped his shoulders forward and took a deep breathe, "It's okay. I trust you enough to tell you. Not even Natasha knows this, but most of those scars aren't from being on the job, and that one there was just the first of many 'dear old dad' gave me. I was five, dad was late coming home from work. It was a week before my birthday and I was excited to ask him for a dog for my birthday. He came home reeking of alcohol,but I didn't know that at the time, just knew he smelled weird. I instantly hugged his leg and begged him for a puppy. Then he-" Clint froze as the memory of the night came flooding back to him. Bruce noticed him shiver a bit and wasn't sure if it was because of the story or the the water growing increasingly colder,perhaps it was a little of both.

"He kicked me off his leg and sent me flying across the room. Screaming at me that I was a little brat he wished my mother never had and all I ever did was suck the life out of him and beg for things. I sobbed hysterically as my mother and brother came running into the room. Next thing I know, pops has a beer bottle he swings over the table and he's slashing at me while mom and Barns are trying hard to pull him off me. Barney yells at me to run to the fort, an old fort in the middle of the woods where we'd play, a safe place not even our parents knew about. I ran and Barns met me there not too long after. It was so damn cold. Barns moved around a few rocks and sticks he had piled in a corner of the fort and pulled out a first aid kit. He pulled his shirt up to reveal his own scars and smiled at me as he told me this is where he'd run and hide from dad when he got bad like that, then he fixed me up and took care of a few scrapes of his own. We cuddled up with a big sleeping bag Barns had left out there. He told me we should spend the night out there and that come morning, dad would be super nice and we could go home. He was right and that was the first night of many Barns and I spent out there."

Bruce's heart sank for the younger man, he was grateful Hulk was too deeply sleeping to hear Clint's painful story. Bruce couldn't help himself as his subconsciously wrapped his arms around the smaller man's chest. Their naked bodies pressed together in a fierce embrace that should have been awkward for both men, but somehow felt comforting, familiar and so damn good.

A soft moan escaped Clint's lips as he turned once again to gaze into Bruce's eyes, searching for a clue, any clue that might indicate what it was the older man felt for him.

Bruce can't. He just can't handle the intense gaze of the other man or the rising need he feels to be surrounded by him. Consumed by him. Needed and wanted by the blonde perfection standing before him. 

Bruce runs off to the his locker, dressing in a hurry, not bothering to even put his shirt on as he flees to his room. Safe behind the door he collapses onto the bed and stares up at the ceiling, "Jarvis?"

The mechanical voice responds, "Yes master Banner?"

"Please lock my door and don't let anyone in, especially Agent Barton."

"Understood. Should I warn Sir that there's a code green?"

Bruce rolled his eyes, "No. That won't be necessary. I just need some alone time to sort out some- personal issues."

"Very well then." The A.I. replied and carried out Banner's wishes.

Clint wasn't too far behind Bruce. Dressing in a hurry and chasing after the scientist. He blamed himself for not walking out the moment he saw Bruce standing there naked, it was his fault Bruce probably left feeling embarrassed. 

Clint approached the door to Bruce's room, hand raised in mid-air to knock, when Jarvis' voice cut through the air, "I'm sorry Agent Barton, but master Banner does not want to be disturbed. I can not permit you to pass." Clint hated the A.I.'s British accent and at that moment felt like punching a random Brit, pretending it was the smug sounding A.I.

Let it be said though that Clint was not a quitter, he wasn't about to leave Bruce alone, not when he thought he had done something to put a strain on his team mate. He wondered if this was a code green, if Jade Jaws was stirring and threatening to lock Bruce away. Concern filled Clint and he resolved to not abandon Bruce, even if that's what he said he wanted. No, Clint wouldn't leave, he curled up outside the door and slept there, waiting for Bruce to eventually appear in the morning.

It was mid-morning when sun crept into Bruce's room, dancing across his freckled face. He stretched and yawned as he rolled out of bed, still dressed in his sweats and baggy workout Tee from last night. He was shocked to see Clint passed out in front of his door, sprawled across the floor in a haphazard tangle of limbs. Bruce became a little panicked. His first thought was of how still Clint was and the odd angle at which he was laying. Bruce knelt down and placed a hand on Clint's neck, checking for a pulse.

Clint immediately flinched at the touch, rolling to his side, grabbing the arm touching him and snapping it back, pinning it behind Bruce's back. 

Green flashed in Bruce's eyes and his skin changed a pale green as Hulk emerged and roared in Clint's face.

Clint became suddenly aware of what had happened and put his hands up as he tried to calm Hulk down, "Easy Jade Jaws, easy. Cupid didn't mean to hurt Banner, to hurt you. I'm just like you big guy, there's a right way and a wrong way to wake me up. Banner chose the wrong way. I didn't know it was him, honest. I would never hurt either of you on purpose. It's just that- well- my father, he- he used to, well let's just say he was a sick man, he used to wake me up when I was little, just so he could hurt me."

Clint pulled his shirt collar down to reveal a scar on his collar bone, circular and smooth. Bruce guessed it was from a cigarette or cigar. Hulk's eyes flashed a deep green as he pieced it all together, roaring a threat to 'smash', this time not to hurt cupid, but the man who had hurt him.

Clint placed a had on Hulk's bulging arm and gently rubbed along it in a soothing manner, "Easy there big guy. It's okay, daddy bird's gone now, he can't hurt me any more. Now why don't you get some rest and let Bruce back out. I'd like to see him, to tell him I'm sorry and look at any damage I may have caused to his arm."

Hulk nodded with a grunt and Bruce slowly emerged, wearing only his pants he had designed for his 'Hulk-outs'. "Well, that was fun." He exasperated. 

Clint assessed Bruce's arm and found that luckily he didn't break it, then Bruce shyly asked Clint, "So, what's the right way to wake you up?"

Clint grins, "Stick around and maybe you'll find out." Bruce gulped at the over sexualized tone in Clint's voice. Clint responded to Bruce's obvious reaction by laughing, "Of course, I do require an actual date before I'll share my 'nest' with you." His smile widened, "That is of course, if I didn't misread the situation last night or the night before. There's something between us, right?"

Bruce let a strangled squeak that resembled the word yeah, with a pale blush upon his face. 

Clint found Bruce's shy awkwardness to be the most adorable thing ever, he found Bruce was the most adorable thing ever, he leaned over to place a quick kiss upon the genius. "Good, then meet me on the rooftop tonight at eight and I'll show you 'my world'." Clint says, then turns to leave, taking a good hard look at Banner's ass as he walks past him.


	3. I want you to want me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I want you to want me.  
> I need you to need me.  
> I'd love you to love me.  
> I'm beggin' you to beg me.
> 
> Clint is so desperate to show Bruce that he deserves to be loved as much as Clint loves him

Bruce must've changed his outfit a dozen times. Tony sat on the bed across from the closet, where Bruce was changing his shirt yet again. He had finally settled on wearing his khaki slacks, but still couldn't decide on what shirt to wear. 

Tony cracked an amused smile, "Relax Brucie. I haven't seen you this nervous since Steve offered you some of his blood to work on a cure for Hulk. Who ever it is you're seeing, they'd be nuts not to think you're gorgeous." Tony pensively thought about the dozen shirts Bruce had gone through, "The lavender one. Go with the lavender dress shirt, it compliments the deep brown of your eyes. Now go get 'em tiger." And with that Tony stood to leave, growling at Bruce and lifting a hand in the air as a mock tiger paw clawing the air.

'Stupid Tony' Bruce thought, 'Of course he'd say to relax, he has no idea how hard it is for me to get close to anyone, much less date someone.' Though Bruce had to admit, when he tried on the lavender shirt, Tony was absolutely right. Bruce tucked his shirt in and picked out a dark brown belt. He ran his hands through his hair and decided to go to the bathroom to see if he could do something with it. Bruce pulled at the soft curls of his unruly hair, trying desperately in vain to get them to straighten out and fall in place. After about ten or twelve minutes, Bruce gave up. He couldn't do anything with his hair, but at least he could trim back his beard to a sexy 5 o'clock shadow. Tony had let him borrow a few colones to try out, the first two were strong musk colones that almost chocked Bruce with the strong scent, but the third was a nice soft sandalwood scented one that Bruce thought reminded him of being in the Canadian mountains, safe and calm.

A quick glance at his watch told him it was now 8:20. He had spent too much time deciding on a shirt and fussing with his hair. Bruce ran to the elevator and tried to calm himself as he stepped out on the roof.

Clint was standing there, his back turned to Bruce as he hovered over a makeshift table of two crates with a cloth draped over it, he was lighting a few candle sticks and adjusting some custom white roses which had been dyed purple and green. Clint looked Marvelous, though Bruce felt a little over dressed. Clint had on tight fitting jeans with a fade across the thighs, a loose fitting white button up shirt, and his black leather jacket. Clint's hair was spiked out in a messy look that made him look like he had just rolled out of bed, but oddly enough managed to make him look even sexier than normal. 

Bruce crept up beside Clint, reaching out to place a hand on Clint's arm, "I'm sorry I'm late." Bruce blushed, "Took me longer then I thought to pick out an outfit. Guess I over dressed."

Clint turned, eyeing Bruce up and down, taking in the sight of him and the faint smell of cologne, a smile brushed across Clint's devilishly handsome face, "Not at all. You look great. I dunno, I thought maybe you might like a bit of a punk rock look. I think I pull it off rather well." Clint laughed as he ran a hand through his hair and pulled a seat out for Bruce to sit.

Clint grabbed a bowl of food from under a tray next to them and set it in front of Bruce, "Hope you like Parmesan chicken, it's about the fanciest thing I know how to cook."

Bruce smiled warmly,gazing up into Clint's cerulean blue eyes, "You cooked this? I wasn't aware you knew how to eat anything that didn't come from a jar or a box, much less cook anything." Bruce lightly teased Clint.

"There's a lot you don't know about me Freckles." Clint said, grabbing his own food and sitting opposite Bruce, "Like for starters, I'm sure you didn't know I used to be in a circus."

Bruce's eyes lit up with curiosity, "A circus? Really? What did you do, run away and join and the circus as a kid." Bruce half-mocked, but his jaw dropped when Clint responded.

"Yeah, me and Barns got tired of foster homes after our parents passed away. One day we're walking down the street and see a poster for this traveling circus that's passing by our town, so we just say what the hell and sneak on their train when they leave. That's how I got so good at archery and where I got my name Hawkeye." Clint spoke fondly of the many friends he met there who became his family.

Somehow Bruce didn't doubt the fact that Clint had been in a circus, it just seemed like something so wild, that Clint would've done it. "So what made you leave? I mean why not stay there, it sounds like they were your family."

Clint frowned, "They were, but sales were down and at first they were looking to only pull off one score, just enough to break even and get by, ya know, but then they wouldn't stop until it seemed like all we were doing was robbing banks. I had enough, wanted to go straight and got them busted, was ready to turn my self in too and go down with them, but I guess Fury had noticed me and taken an interest in my skills. He kept me out of prison in exchange for joining S.H.I.E.L.D., wasn't long after that I met you, that is to say Hulk, and had myself a new family with the Avengers."

"I'm glad we met. You were the first person Hulk took a liking to, the first one not to be afraid of him and stand up to him. I know he can be a bit intimidating and hard to stand up to, but you never seemed to mind. I suppose that's what drew my attention to you to begin with."

Clint was grabbing for Bruce's hand to hold. Clint was so handsy and intrusive with personal space. Normally Bruce would recoil from any contact, but he found himself slowly letting his guard down around Clint.

"Hulk's nothing to be afraid of, he's just a big cuddly puppy. With green skin. Muscles as big as tree trunks. A nasty temper. And a mouth big enough to bite your head off with."

Bruce and Clint shared a laugh at Clint's vivid description of Hulk. And Bruce could hear Hulk's amused laughter as well.

"Seriously though, I don't understand why people are so quick to judge him. Sure he's bigger and stronger and green, but he's just like us, just trying to make sense of this world and find out who he is. They wanna paint him as a villain, as a monster, when they're the ones who are the real monsters. Sure he's different, but Hulk, he's- he's a good guy. We go into battle, I know I can count on him, he's got my back. And I've got his. Anyone wants to try hurting him, will answer to me. Hulk, I know where I stand with him. You're the one I want to spend more time with, you're always hiding away in the lab or locked up in Hulk. But when you are around, you always surprise me with the craziest stuff. Like when you looked at the stars with me. And you get me to reveal stuff about my self, stuff I've kept hidden and suppressed for years. I guess I want to know more about you Bruce, more about the man who shatters my defenses."

Bruce was shocked, he had never heard anyone talk so fondly about Hulk before. He was more shocked that Clint was interested in him, not as a scientist or as part of the Hulk, but as himself, the goofy, nerd.

"Not much to say really, because of the Hulk, I've had to travel around a lot. Before the Avengers took me in, I never really stayed in one place long enough to call home, but there was one place I managed to stay for five years. It was a quaint little village in the Yukon, called Old Crow. It was perfect for me and Hulk to hide out there, they had no road access and a population under 300 people. I stayed on the far outskirts of town and only ventured into town when my supplies ran low. Hulk grew restless with nothing but the occasional caribou to fight for food. I couldn't contain him and he started thrashing the forest one day. It was then that we came across a young boy named Kavik. He was only twelve but spoke with so much wisdom, he said, "So much anger in one man. Still the waters of your mind and be at peace. anger is a poison that destroys. See how your anger has devastated this forest. Those trees were once living, they once provided shelter and food for the animals. Now where will they go?" hulk looked around and thought about that. It was the first time I had ever seen him stop and think about his rage and the aftermath of it all. The trees that Hulk had smashed down were turned into new homes for the villagers and some bird houses for the animals. Over the years we became close to the boy Kavik and his mother Malina, we thought we'd settle down and finally make a life for ourselves. How naive we were to think that fortune would ever smile upon us."

Bruce shut his eyes tight and bit his bottom lip as he took in a sharp breath. Clint squeezed his hand gently and gave him a reassuring smile, "So what happened?"

"General Ross and his men finally tracked me down. I willingly surrendered to spare the village, but Ross had another plan. He destroyed the village so I'd have nothing to come back to. His men shot me with a beta blocker so I couldn't Hulk out. Then He...he-"

Bruce was on the verge of tears, Clint could see the faint gleam of tears trying to force their way out past Bruce's somber brown eyes. "It's okay Bruce, you don't have-"

"No. no, I want to Clint. It's about time I shared this pain with someone. The pain has consumed me and fueled hulk for so long." Bruce took another deep breath and forced himself to continue, "Ross' men had taken Malina and Kavik captive before burning the village to ashes. They slit their throats and forced me to slowly watch them die. Powerless and unable to anything but them hold them and watch them suffer. Kavik looked up at me, I can still see his eyes, his once bright blue eyes, fading to gray as he told me it was time to let go. I thought he was talking about letting his mother and him go, but I see now. what he really meant was that I should let go of my anger, release Hulk from his prison of rage. You helped me see that Clint."

"Glad to help Freckles. Gotta admit, the big guy doesn't seem as rage fueled as when we first met." Clint laughed out loud, "I can beat him in a game of Call of Duty now without him literally beating me."

Bruce smiled, he loved the way that Clint could instantly snap him back to being filled with joy again. "Yeah. He's quit fond of you Clint."

Clint nodded, "I'm rather fond of him too. He's like a brother to me."

Bruce could feel Hulk's heart ache. He knew Hulk was in love with Clint and to hear him say he thought of him like a brother was like a death sentence for them ever being more than friends. Still, at least Hulk wasn't pouting like a child over it, he would still be happy for Bruce's new found love with Clint.

"I don't think that made him feel very elated. He's rather sullen now."

Clint's brows furrowed in question. "Does that mean-"

Bruce nodded, "Mhmm. He's in love with you Clint. Has been since the first time he met you. He says you're kind and funny and smart, but not annoying like Tony."

They both burst out laughing.

Clint placed a hand on Bruce's shoulder and gazed deeply into his eyes, "I'm sorry Hulk. I didn't know. I didn't mean to hurt you like that. I care for you a lot, I do. But Bruce is the one who stole my heart. I've connected with him on a level I never thought possible and those damn freckles get me every time I look at him." Clint smirked at Bruce and leaned in for a kiss. This time, neither of them broke it and it was sweet and sticky like honey and smooth like molasses. 

Clint moved his free hand up the backside of Bruce's shirt and Bruce broke the kiss, "St- stop. We can't...I can't do this. I...I've never been able to get past kissing, not without Hulk taking over. I lose control over my heart rate and forget to meditate and stay calm when I do..." Bruce lowered his gaze to rest upon the tight bulge in Clint's jeans, "...things" Bruce finished, blushing as Clint lowered his gaze to follow Bruce's line of sight.

"We can try. I'm not afraid of him Bruce. I'm not afraid of who you are. We can go slow. I'll help you stay calm. I'll do whatever I have to to be with you. I want you so bad it hurts. And I think you feel the same. I'm not some one night stand. I'm not gonna turn tail and run in the morning. I'm in it for the long haul Doc. I can actually see a future, for the first time in my life I'm not living with a death wish. I see a future with you...if you want one." Clint's hands were shaking as he held Bruce tight, his breathes coming in short quick bursts as he fought back his tears.

"Clint, I-" Bruce paused to think a moment. "Alright."

Clint's eyes lit up as he stared in disbelief at his handsome freckled-faced doctor. "Yeah! Ya mean it?"

Bruce nodded slowly, "Yeah, let's try. But on one condition."

"Name it!" Clint half squeaked.

"You top. That way if I do Hulk out, I won't shred you apart and you'll have some time to react."

Clint's pupils were blown wide and he had a grin on his face that could put the Cheshire cat to shame, "You...you want me to...yeah sure." Clint practically whispered and then something dawned on him, "I'd be your first, and you're okay with that? I mean I'm not sure if I'll be good enough."

Bruce stroked a hand across Clint's cheek lovingly, "Of course you will. You're the first person in my entire life that I've ever wanted to be intimate with." A blush crept up over Bruce's ears and splashed across his freckled face. Clint was overwhelmed with how adorable Bruce looked when he was being so modest, so honest and raw with his emotions.

"Then I think we better take this to your bedroom." The archer said as he dragged his beloved scientist off to finally lose his virginity.


End file.
